Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators - The Chameleon's Dish

Mark Benton (Actor) .. Frank Hathaway

Born: November 16, 1965 in Guisborough

Best Known For: Northern Lights, and Waterloo Road.

Early-life: Born on 16 November, 1965, in Guisborough in the North East, Mark hoped to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, actor Michael Gunn. Always the class clown, he fell in love with the theatre and spent many years trying to make a career out of acting. He was in the same drama class at the Stockton-Billingham Tech as actress Elizabeth Carling. Some of his early acting experience came with the Middlesbrough Youth Theatre, with performances in plays such as Atmos Fear and Twist.

Career: Benton's big break came in the 1997 Mike Leigh film Career Girls. For the past decade he has barely been off our screens. He had a recurring role as Father McBride in the James Nesbitt series Murphy's Law. He has starred with Vic and Bob in their remake of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Catterick, and Monkey Trousers. He was comedy gold in Craig Cash's Early Doors and The Booze Cruise trilogy. His biggest role was alongside Robson Green in Christmas Lights, Northern Lights, City Lights and Clash of the Santas. He was also a regular on Waterloo Road and is the host of game show The Edge. In 2013, he was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: "I think sometimes you have to ask if you want to be an actor or do you want to be a celebrity? I was tempted to do Celebrity Mastermind but I couldn't think of a specialist subject."

Trivia: Benton is a die-hard supporter of Middlesbrough FC and has featured in the club's official season ticket advertising campaign.

Jo Joyner (Actor) .. Luella Shakespeare

Born: February 23, 1978 in Harlow, Essex

Best Known For: Playing Tanya Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Joanne Mary Joyner on May 24, 1978, in Essex. She has an older brother called Dan. The family later moved to Oxfordshire, where she grew up. She says she always wanted to act, and after finishing her A levels, enrolled in the Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating in 1999 with a BA. She then spent a couple of years in Manchester looking for work, eventually honing her craft on the stage.

Career: Joyner's big break came with the acclaimed drama Clocking Off. She went on to do a few other northern projects, including Fat Friends and Silent Witness, as well as the period miniseries North and South, before she bit the bullet and moved down to London. She then landed a role in nursing drama No Angels, and has been busy ever since. In 2005, Joyner played a Big Brother contestant in two episodes of Doctor Who, and also appeared in Spooks. She showed off her comedy skills in the sketch show Swinging (winning a Rose d'Or comedy award in the process), before landing the part of Tanya Branning in 2006. Despite her character taking a couple of prolonged breaks, she remains hugely popular with fans.

Quote: On whether she'd like to go to Hollywood: "I couldn't lose the weight and take the pressure of it all being about looks! I'd love to do it when I'm 50 or 60, like Julie Walters or Brenda Blethyn. Then it's more about what you do and being a good actor."

Trivia: Joyner has won two British Soap Awards.

Patrick Walshe McBride (Actor) .. Sebastian Brudenell

Amber Aga (Actor) .. DI Marlowe

Chance Perdomo (Actor) .. Hamish Kingly

Chizzy Akudolu (Actor) .. Sandra Kingly

Born: October 07, 1973 in London

Best Known For: Playing Mo Effanga in Holby City.

Early-life: Andrea Chizoba Akudolu was born in London on October 7, 1973. She caught the eye of casting directors in 2002 when she was one of eight performers who won the BBC Talent Initiative, The Urban Sketch Showcase. Her first TV appearance was in BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High and she followed this up with a small role in EastEnders.

Career: Akudolu went on to star on the small screen in Stupid, Green Wing, The Complete Guide to Parenting, Roman's Empire, Jinx, Gigglebiz, Twenty Twelve and Mongrels. Her big break came in 2012 when she began playing surgeon Mo Effanga in Holby City.

Quote: "I get angry when people are rude and insincere. I've been on jobs where actors treat the crew rudely, which I think is unnecessary."

Trivia: Away from acting, Akudolu enjoys embroidery and karate.

Paul Thronley (Actor) .. Rex Olson

Jo-Anne Knowles (Actor) .. Polly Rattle

Fern Deacon (Actor) .. Lily Rattle

Malcolm Atobrah (Actor) .. Uzoma Oladapo

Henry Johnson (Actor) .. Young Hamish

Richard Signy (Director)

Ella Kelly (Producer)

Nicola Wilson (Writer)

Will Trotter (Executive producer)

Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators: The Chameleon's Dish

4:20 pm - 4:30 pm, Thursday, February 19 on U&Drama (20)

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The Chameleon's Dish
Season 1, Episode 8

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